Automated RFID reader detection

Abstract

Carrying out a calibration cycle on one or more components in a local area network, the network including a plurality of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) readers and the calibration cycle including exchanging, between RFID readers or other components of the local area network, distances between RFID readers calculated by one or more other components of the local area network.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An automatic method of calibrating network components comprising:
 repeatedly and automatically carrying out a fiducial component calibration cycle using radio frequency telemetry between stationary fiducial components in a local area network to determine the present position of one or more stationary fiducial components in the local area network, the network including a plurality of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) readers, the calibration cycle including exchanging, between stationary RFID readers of the plurality or other fiducial components of the local area network, one or more distances between stationary RFID readers of the plurality, the one or more distances calculated by one or more other components of the local area network using radio frequency telemetry between stationary fiducial components of the local area network, and 
 at at least one of the stationary RFID readers receiving the distances in the calibration cycle exchange and verifying the accuracy of the exchanged calculated distances between stationary RFID readers of the plurality in the local area network. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the calibration cycle includes periodically exchanging, between first and second stationary RFID readers of the plurality, distances between stationary RFID readers of the plurality calculated by one or more other components of the local area network, and wherein the one or more other components includes at least a third stationary RFID reader of the plurality. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the method further comprises:
 an RFID reader in the local area network periodically sending a telemetry radio signal to the local area network to calibrate its position with each of the other RFID readers in the local area network. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein the radio signal includes a personal identification and a list of other RFID readers seen by the sending RFID reader. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the calibration cycle is repeated multiple times per second. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein each stationary RFID reader in the local area network maintains a registry of one or more of the other RFID readers in the local area network and updates this registry during or after the calibration cycle. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 one or more stationary RFID readers in the local area network sensing that a new stationary RFID reader has entered the local area network or an RFID reader has moved its position and sending a query to the new or moved RFID reader to identify itself. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  wherein the query also requests a MAC or IP address and a request that the new or moved RFID reader designate which RFID signal designates the new or moved RFID reader. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8  wherein upon receiving the responsive RFID signal designating the new or moved RFID reader, updating a registry of stationary RFID readers. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  wherein the local area network comprises a stationary RFID reader at an entrance of a warehouse. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1  further comprises updating a registry with the orientation of a stationary RFID reader in the local area network. 
     
     
       12. A network component comprising:
 a microcontroller having access to computer readable memory and computer readable storage, the microcontroller operating at a component of a local area network; and, 
 an antenna in communication with the microcontroller, the antenna configured to at least transmit or receive radio frequency electro-magnetic waves,
 wherein the microcontroller is configured to repeatedly spatially locate one or more stationary Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) readers in the local area network in which the microcontroller is a member, 
 wherein the microcontroller is further configured to determine the spatial location of one or more stationary RFID readers by:
 using a plurality of received wireless signal responses to a previously sent wireless signal, the received responses from two or more stationary RFID readers in the local area network, to determine, using radio frequency telemetry in the local area network, the physical distance between each stationary RFID reader for which a response was received, and 
 
 wherein the microcontroller is further configured to exchange with other components of the local area network, one or more of the distances between stationary RFID readers calculated by other components of the local area network, and to verify the accuracy of these calculated one or more distances between stationary RFID readers. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The network component of  claim 12  wherein the microcontroller is further configured to query known stationary RFID readers in the local area network and, in response to this query, determine a physical distance between the network component and one or more newly added stationary RFID readers. 
     
     
       14. The network component of  claim 12  wherein the microcontroller is further configured to receive a unique identifier for a stationary RFID reader from an active or passive RFID tag positioned on that stationary RFID reader. 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which when executed by a microprocessor cause the microprocessor to carryout steps comprising:
 repeatedly conducting a calibration cycle to determine the present position of stationary fiducial Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) readers of a local area network, the stationary RFID readers being stationary when in operation, the calibration cycle including exchanging, between two or more RFID readers or other fiducial components of the local area network, distances between two or more RFID readers calculated by one or more other components of the local area network using radio frequency telemetry between components of the local area network, and 
 after receiving distances in the exchange, verifying the accuracy of the exchanged calculated distances between the stationary RFID readers in the local area network. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the calibration cycle includes exchanging between two or more RFID readers, distances between RFID readers calculated by other components of the local area network, and wherein the one or more other components is a different RFID reader. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the instructions stored thereon further cause the microprocessor to carry out steps comprising:
 sending a radio signal to calibrate the position of the component in which the microprocessor resides with each of the other RFID readers in the local area network. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the instructions stored thereon further cause the microprocessor to carry out steps comprising:
 updating a list of RFID readers visible by other RFID readers in the local area network. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the instructions stored thereon further cause the microprocessor to carry out steps comprising:
 upon receiving a responsive RFID signal designating a new or moved RFID reader, updating a registry of RFID readers for use by an RFID reader or other component of the local area network. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the calibration cycle comprises RFID readers of the local area network exchanging distances between RFID readers of the local area network, the distances calculated by at least one of the RFID readers of the local area network.